Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-08-31
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A DEBT PAYING RELIGION.

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A DEBT PAYING RELIGION.
Just at this time our country needs a
religion that will make a man pay his
debts. Shouting don't settle old notes and
accounts with God and man-cash up.
We want to pounce right on fellow and
put him out of the church if he goes to ball
or theatre, or gets on drunk, but never
say word to the pious scamp who never
never pay their debts, are doing the church
more harm than dance and drunkards- s.
there are more of them in the church.
Reader, am I getting close to you? Then
lay down the paper and 60 and pay up,
and then you can read on with ease.
And don't you stop paying because the
"statute of Limitation" excuses the open
account you made for your bread and
meat-God's law knows no such statute.
You pay it in cash, or God will make you
pay it in fire and birthstone. God knows
no such excuse from paying as "home-
stead exemption" You raise that excuse
to keep from paying your debts, and you
can stop singing, "When can read my
titles clear to mansions in the skies''-
you've got none up there. You may say,
II would pay if could" How hard have
you tried ? If trying, at this moment,
could you say, II have done all in my
power?" Have you tried to save little
each week or month for debts? Are
you spending no money for things to eat
and wear that you could not do without?
How much do you spend per year for
tion. Do you eat dainties and luxuries {?
Palmer diet would keep you from making
doctors bills that you won't pay, and
bring up bank accounts. Do you strut
about with an umbrella over your head,
while your creditor walks in the broiling
sun? Don't you cut shines in hired turn
outs (may be they are not paid for) when
you might walk, and use the money to
make your creditor smile? A palmer
suit would be more becoming till you can
pay for those worn out last season. When
expenses not necessary for the feeding and
clothing of the body are cut off and ap-
piled to the payment of debts, then you
grow in favor with God, and not till
then does God excuse you. Repentance
on this point must be of that Cody sort
that needeth not to be repented of. Read
er, were you sorry that you had not paid
debts when you made profession OF re-
ligion? If you were not, that is just why
you have not got a debt-paying religion:
True repentance has a retroactive as we'll
believer. He will, as far as possible, make
Verts sing, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him
I owe." No such thing! Jesus did not
pay it all-neither do you owe it all to
Him. If the week before you were con-
verted you owed ten dollars and you were
able to pay it, and you owe that neighbor
ten dollars yet, Jesus did not pay that for
you. If you don't pay that debt, it will
meet you at your judgment just as sure
as you are sinner. 1t is mean in you to
expect Jesus to pay debts for you that you
can pay yourself If you have Christian
heart in you, think how much Jesus paid
for you that you never could have met at
Gods bar of inflexible justice. Some peo-
pie think that the cleansing stream of
Jesus blood washed Sinai away and
deluged the law-no such thing! Jesus
came motto destroy, but to fulfill, and gave
grace that we through Him might fulfill.
Jesus everywhere enforces the Command
ments as the rule of life.
At the close of our great revival at Fifth
st. Church, two years ago, a number OF
young men came to me to know if they
ought to go and pay bills that they had
made at bar-rooms for whisky, &c. told
them to lowe them nothing" "let not
your good be evil spoken of'-give the
devil his dues. All of those young men,
save one or two, went and paid up those
bad debts, and have had no more. Those
who could not see that it was their duty to
pay those debts, have returned to their old
paths, and their second state is worse than
the first.
Then let the whole church pray for re-
vival of the debt-paying religion. In ey-
cry revival let prayers be made that the
new converts may have grace to pay up
old debts, and not contract new ones, with
out good probability of paying them, Let
the ministry enforce this duty publicly
and privately, with discretion, } and great
good can be accomplished. If the preach
ers would look after this matter of debt
paying among their congregations, their
own debts might be more promptly paid
chickens come home to roost. Both
preacher and people need to be more eau
tious, prayerful and pavful about this line.
The great necessity Of lie present time is
confidence among the people. Let the
church demand and command her men,
bership to live up to their promises and
contracts, and soon present financial dark
ness will give way to brighter morn Of
prosperity to all business circles. Keep
the Amen corners and front seats clear of
members who can and won't pay their
debts, (the pulpit, too,) and the Word
preached will reach sinners. May God
give increase to these words which are
written for the promotion of His kingdom
in the practical dealings with men.-Rev.
d. H. FUTILE, Wilmington, ~ c.